Cathead Old Soul Single Barrel Bourbon - Liquor Barn
“When I hear “high rye,” I think herbal and spicy, but his bottle leans hard in the cherry and vanilla direction…”
MGP 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Barley | 109 Proof | 4.5 Years | Barrel 16B29-9
Liquor Barn selected 2 Cathead High Rye Bourbon barrels in 2020 That were barreled in 2016 - this one and D19-10. I don’t know if, or how long the barrel may have aged at Cathead in Mississippi, but I am definitely curious. I’m told Liquor Barn tasted through several barrels and landed on two with pretty distinct flavor profiles. This is interesting, because I found this bottle to be pretty unique for a high rye bourbon. When I hear “high rye,” I think herbal and spicy, but this bottle leans hard in the cherry and vanilla direction of Belle Meade Reserve. It would hit the spot for anyone that likes a wheated bourbon. This whiskey is like a sweet almond ring pastry from the local bakery (a yeasted, laminated doughy treat that really packs those nutty, cherry flavors).
The nose has cherry, vanilla custard, vanilla bean, and is balanced with that MGP-ness that I can’t quite describe (maybe some kind of a slight tartness). There is some faint herb and some tobacco, but those notes really took some time to pick up on. I don’t get any ethanol singe no matter how big of a draw on the nose and there aren’t really any baking spices present to speak of.
The palate takes everything in the nose and intensifies it. Honey and caramel are added to the prominent sweet cherry notes and there’s slight oak present along with vanilla at the front of the tongue. For a relatively young whiskey, it is smooth and lacks any harsh reminder of its proof.
The finish is long with more cherry that develops into amaretto and almond icing. As the finish finally leaves your palate, it brings Luxardo cherry syrup to mind.
7.0 - This is a solid mid-shelf bourbon. I was pleasantly surprised by its flavor profile and will definitely try other Old Soul products. I might be curious enough to try a different single barrel, but I would definitely like to try one of their other older offerings like Tintype (which I understand is matured in Mississippi) or Old Soul 13/15yr small batches.
Glassware - Glencairn
Rested - 20+ minutes
Bottle opened - 3 weeks ago
Setting - Dimly lit home bar
Listening to - Aminé
Taconic Duchess Private Reserve Bourbon - r/bourbon #687
This barrel of Taconic Dutchess Private Reserve Bourbon is like the top of a peach turnover.
70% Corn, 25% Rye, 5% Barley | 124 Proof | 4 Years | NCF | Single Barrel (r/bourbon Barrel Selection)
Taconic checks some of the most important boxes:
Non-Chill Filtered? ☑ Yep
Barrel Strength offerings? ☑ Bourbon and Rye
Unique approach? ☑ NY Grains and Hudson Valley spring water
D’ya like dags? ☑ Just look at their instagram
Lately I’ve been enjoying whiskeys in the ~5yr age range. Initially I recognized it when having side by side pours of 5yr and 8yr Nashville Barrel Co bottles. It’s not a question of quality, but one of category. Bright, fruity, floral and herbal vs. oaky, syrupy, vanilla, and calm. I saw a Stellum Black review recently that points out the same when it comes to the younger Stellum and Stellum Black with its incorporation of older whiskeys into the blend. This barrel of Taconic Dutchess Private Reserve Bourbon is like the top of a peach turnover. The pastry is golden and toasty, some of the fruity peach filling bubbles up and caramelizes, and the sugar sprinkled on top browns. This whiskey is not an oaky, leathery, tobacco-y treacle.
The nose has stone fruit, cinnamon, light vanilla, and ever so slight grassy herbal tones. After nosing for quite some time, everything came together as a peach turnover with caramelized sugar. The nose is delightful, but not particularly strong and it doesn’t pull far in any direction. While it is perhaps weaker in comparison, this bourbon’s nose has a balance that reminds of the 5yr Nashville Barrel Co bourbons. There isn’t much ethanol to speak of for a sub-5yr 124 proof whiskey.
The palate is robust and picks up any slack the nose may have left. It has toffee, caramel, and the combo of golden pastry and sugar on the crispiest part of a turnover. There is some stone fruit on the palate as well, but it’s mostly a yeasty, sweet, buttery baked good.
The finish is medium-long with savory butter on the middle of your tongue, and lots of sweet caramel. The proof prickles your tongue pleasantly as the finish moves backwards on your palate. On the very end of the finish, some nutty and faint smoky notes come in.
7.0/10 - This is a really solid bourbon and I’m glad I got a chance to try Taconic via the r/bourbon group. If I were to happen upon a local shop with a barrel pick bourbon, I think I’m curious enough to go for it. I’m definitely curious enough to go for a rye SiB.
Glassware - Glencairn
Rested - 15+ minutes
Bottle opened - ~2 months ago
Setting - winding down in the evening in a dimly lit room
Watching - Fargo Season 4
NULU Single Barrel Rye - Top Shelf r/bourbon
“It’s not a whiskey I would call “smooth,” “balanced,” or an “easy sipper,” all in the best way possible.”
95% Rye, 5% Barley (I believe) | 118 Proof | 7 Years | Single Barrel (r/bourbon Barrel Selection)
Shout out to the Aficionados and u/t8ke for whatever kind of haggling they engaged in to secure this barrel. u/t8ke did you have to arm wrestle a Hazlebaker for it? I’m a big fan of MGP whiskey in general, but especially the 95/5 rye mash bill (which I believe this is). It’s remarkable how much variety there seems to be in the MGP rye barrels out there under various labels, but I have yet to find one I hated. Additionally, we made quick work of a NULU 4+yr Toasted Barrel rye in this household, so a 7yr barrel “Top Shelf” rye picked by the Aficionados Group seemed like a sure shot.
This is a sweet, rich and complex rye. It has a lot going on and is very unique with a long finish unlike any other whiskey I’ve had. It’s not a whiskey I would call “smooth,” “balanced,” or an “easy sipper,” all in the best way possible.
The nose is heavy with sweet notes. There is vanilla cream, maple syrup, sweet mint, some dill, and faint baking spices that creep up after the whiskey is rested for some time. At the tail end of long draws of the nose, there is a sliiight tinge of ethanol.
The palate has butterscotch pudding, vanilla, and some bright citrus or something fruity I can’t quite put my finger on (not cherry, apple, banana… so I’m thinking maybe it’s citrus). It’s big bodied and the age seems to be just right - the oak is not overbearing, but it’s there with the sweet brown flavor notes. Rye whiskeys don’t always pull off the interplay between mint/dill/spice and oak/vanilla/maple, but Top Shelf nails it.
The finish is long and goes from sweet vanilla, to herbs, to grass. As the finish ends, a slight medicinal note appears on the sides of your tongue and then moves to an earthy/grassy flavor that lingers long after anything else. I mean it’s not really a part of the finish, but an after taste… like something that doesn’t go away until you introduce something else to your palate. I don’t mind it, but I’ve never had this experience with any other whiskey.
8.5 - I’ll say again that this whiskey is unique and outstanding. It’s one thing to log flavor notes, but how well they come together is what makes a whiskey great. This is in the neighborhood of Michter’s 10 Year or Barrel Proof and considering their scarcity and shelf/secondary prices, I’d sooner seek out another one of these older NULU ryes from Prohibition Craft Spirits.
Glassware - Glencairn
Rested - 15+ minutes
Bottle opened - 2 weeks ago
Setting - winding down in the evening in a dimly lit room
Watching - Fargo Season 4
Kentucky Peerless Rye Single Barrel
“Danish butter cookies - you know those ones in a blue tin that your great aunt used to have and offer to guests? Those are the cookies that came to mind when tasting this Rye..”
51%+ Rye, ?% Corn, ?% Barley | 110.3 Proof | 3 Years | Single Barrel (Total Wine Single Barrel Selection)
peer·less · /ˈpirləs/ · unequaled; unrivaled
Peerless wasn’t always the name of this distillery; they started out in the 1880s as Worsham Distilling Company. In 1889 Henry Kraver took ownership of the distiller and in the next few decades came the name Peerless, a surge in production, and Prohibition. By 1917 Peerless whiskey production was ended to conserve grain for the war effort, and their bonded warehouses under armed guard held barrels that would be used as prescription medicinal whiskey. Nearly 100 years later, Henry Kraver's grandson and great grandson Corky and Carson Taylor began production of Peerless again in what is essentially a "craft" distillery.
Danish butter cookies - you know those ones in a blue tin that your great aunt used to have and offer to guests? Those ones that came stacked in those little paper cups? Those are the cookies that came to mind when tasting this Rye. The mash bill isn't readily disclosed, but it seems likely to be somewhere in the neighborhood of a "barely legal" rye based on its flavor profile. It's also definitely worth noting that peerless uses a sweet mash, which they say allows them to achieve a unique smooth character and brown sugar sweetness. It also means that new grains and carefully monitored fermentation are required for each batch. It's a more difficult process, but yields distillate that is less acidic and allows the character of the grain really shine.
Looking at it, Peerless Rye is bright amber in color with medium legs as it's swirled in a Glencairn. On the nose its Danish Butter Cookies from the royal blue tin. There's sweet caramel, butter, and faint herbs/mint. On the palate, Peerless is bright, balanced, plenty of sweet brown butter, and some herbs/dill and citrus as well. It has a medium body without much oak. Peerless has a long, sweet, caramel finish with minimal burn and a bit of pine and herb present towards the end.
Peerless Rye is good. It's quite good. The nose wasn’t remarkable, but the palate was very enjoyable. I imagine it would be really nice in a Manhattan, though I haven’t tried that yet. Peerless is a craft distillery and I respect the fact that they did it the hard way. Peerless built their operations, barreled distillate, and waited until it was ready to bottle and sell (they didn't source anything or try to be sneaky about what was being bottled early on in their operations). That said, I can’t personally justify this rye at this price point ($86 - it was mislabeled and should have been $96… though it's $115 SRP in some states). At a similar price, I’d prefer Wilderness Trail Rye. Less expensive ryes that are just about on par with this are Willett and Pikesville. HOWEVER, if I saw a single barrel that was 5 years old, I'd buy it again because I'm curious to see what a couple more years in a barrel would do.
7.0 - I do find myself reaching for this Rye often, but I haven’t bought a backup. It’s a solid rye and a very good sipper but cost-prohibitive. The distillery has a great story, and I’m curious if/when they will release older SiB products (and IF I’d ever be able to find one).
Glassware - Glencairn
Rested - 10 minutes
Bottle opened - 2 months ago
Setting - winding down in the evening in a dimly lit room
Watching - Money Heist
Balcones Texas Rye Whisky
“Did I mention it’s chocolatey?”
100% Rye | 100 Proof | 15+ Months | Small Batch | Not Chill Filtered
Forget the ‘E’ - this Rye Whisky is real “chocolaty.” I don’t know why Balcones uses the “whisky” spelling, or why they decided to make such a unique Rye, but It’s certainly unique.
I’ve never had any Whiskey from Texas, so I was looking forward to trying an offering from Balcones. They use copper pot stills and rely on the Texas climate to produce a very unique and tasty Rye in less than 2 years. The Balcones Rye uses a 100% rye mashbill including Elbon, crystal, chocolate, and roasted ryes. The Elbon rye is a hearty cereal rye common in Northwest Texas and Oklahoma for its benefits to soil and crop rotations. The crystal and chocolate ryes are commonly used in beers and provide distinct roasty and chocolate notes. This bottle is from batch RYE 10018-6, bottled on 10-3-18.
Up front, the nose is stroooong with chocolate and molasses. As you draw the nose in, it reveals roasted coffee notes and eventually sweet cola. I was taking my time with this pour, and after a few sips and some more time passed, the tail end of the nose gave way to some more typical rye/bourbon notes like baking spices and tobacco. On the palate, the chocolatiness is immediately preset again. It’s bittersweet chocolate, then some black coffee and leather. The finish lingers for a moment and leaves you with some dry cacao.
Overall this rye is unlike any other I’ve had. It’s chocolatey, roasty, and sweet. The experience almost pushes what I thought were the boundaries of a rye whiskey.
5 - Did I mention it’s chocolatey? It’s sippable and tasty, but it’s so unique that it’s not a go-to in my bottle rotation.
Glassware - Glencairn
Rested - 10 minutes
Bottle opened - 8 weeks ago
Setting - At the cozy home bar on a cold winter night
Listening to - “Can I Kick It?” - A Tribe Called Quest